


Child of the Sea

by androidkisser



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hyur WoL, female WoL, still probably easy enough to self-insert into though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-14 15:48:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13593330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/androidkisser/pseuds/androidkisser
Summary: “I wanted you to be able to rely on me, too,” she said, softly. “I wanted to be worthy of – of you.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place where the cutscene with Hien and Gosetsu would usually happen, before you make your way to Doma Castle.  
> It's M for the second chapter to come (though that may make the rating an E, fufu.)
> 
> This is my first XIV fic, though I did my research as thoroughly as possible (which wasn't a lot of effort since I love Yugiri a lot).  
> Any feedback and/or criticism is welcomed!

A heavy silence permeated every inch of the House of the Fierce. Understandably so; it was the eve of a battle that would no doubt end in death for many, and with the freedom of Doma at stake.

Even Hien and Gosetsu had turned in, with just the right balance of alcohol in their systems, it seemed. Restlessly wandering the halls was doing you no good either, you decided. Likely, the best option was to follow their example – bed was bed, and any minutes spent off your feet would be energy saved for tomorrow.

The aetheryte hummed reassuringly as you passed it by, bathing your body in that all too familiar blue glow.

“I see you are in much the same position as I,” an equally familiar voice said, from behind you. “I suppose it can't be helped though, can it?”

The thrum of the aetheryte had masked footsteps that were already hard enough to pick up on, and you turned to face the source of the mildly concerned tones.

“The others,” Yugiri began anew, her eyebrows half-knitted together, “are they resting?”

“Yes, though it took some persuading to get Gosetsu to leave the sake alone,” you replied, with a strained smile that threatened to slip from your face at any given moment. “Even so, I can hardly blame him.”

“Nor I,” whispered Yugiri, solemnly.

“And you?” you ask, tentatively, though you suspect you know the answer already. “Have you slept?”

“Not a wink.”

“Admittedly, I was about to try my hand at it,” you put forward, feeling no reason to hide your aching muscles or heavy eyelids from her.

“Well, I shan't be one to get in the way of your attempts,” Yugiri said, though there was a tinge of sadness in her voice. “Although, truthfully, I had hoped to...”

“What is it?”

You looked down at her for the first time since late afternoon; in the glimmer of the light, you found her eyes swollen, and quite clearly bloodshot.

“There were – _are_ – things that trouble me, as of late, and there may not be another chance to confide in – well...” she murmured, trailing off.

“I should think that your chambers are further from prying eyes and ears than mine,” you offered, hoping the hint would carry in the thick atmosphere.

“Oh, no, I did not mean – that is to say, if you are willing, then –” she paused for a second, perhaps to attempt to discern your expression, before continuing on. “Yes, if you could.”

Her eyes did not meet yours, as she spoke.

Yugiri led you past the sleeping Leveilleur twins, into the small room she had allocated herself to collect her thoughts and set aside her few belongings and possessions. There truly were only few – what looked to be a handful of scrolls, letters both opened and unopened, and a few pieces of jewellery were all that were spread sparsely across a bundle of blankets at the base of her futon.

At her vague invitation – you assumed that was what the slight wave of her hand was meant for, at least – you took a seat on it, kicked off your boots, and pushed back against the wall it lay alongside.

If you had been waiting for her to join you, it seemed that thought would yet linger on a while longer within the confines of your mind.

“You seem more at ease than the others,” Yugiri started, a weak smile crossing her features. “Though I suppose I should expect as much from you, by now.”

You paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

“Hien's words gave me some sense of calm,” you explained. “'What will come will come, and there will be plenty of time for tears of joy or despair when tomorrow is done with.'”

Yugiri sniffled at that, and you instantly felt regret, seeing her tear-stricken face.

“That's not to say that – I'm sorry, that was insensitive of me,” you cursed, bitterly. “I simply meant...”

“You have naught to apologise for,” Yugiri said, shaking her head gently. “If Lord Hien's words have brought you some small comfort, then I am all the more grateful.”

“You don't mind if I ask what happened, do you? Did someone say something to you?”

“No,” Yugiri said, a hiccough escaping her throat. “It's nothing like that.”

“I'm relieved, then,” you said, putting on what you hoped was your most reassuring smile. “I didn't plan on having to put someone within our own ranks in their place.”

“Zenos was right,” she managed to breathe, just barely. “I am not worthy.”

“You – that demon is what brought you to this?”

“Yes, and no,” she replied, in a whisper. “I simply came to realise it when the facts were laid bare in front of me.”

“Not worthy of _what,_ exactly?” you said, looking up at her, wide-eyed in disbelief.

“Of any of this,” Yugiri mumbled, gesturing vaguely to the walls around the two of you. “Of the responsibility, of my lord, of your support, of –”

With that, you stood bolt upright in an instant, as if your legs contained powerful Magitek pistons, and took a step towards her.

“How can you truly be saying this? Those were the words of a man – no, a monster! You can't _possibly –_ ”

“Even now, you try to fix it,” Yugiri said, her voice cracking, as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. “Even now, when I tell you that I cannot accept this kindness, that I do not deserve it, I –”

You reached out, pulling her into a tight embrace. It was more than a little uncomfortable; her armor was quite clearly not designed to be easy on the skin, not least from the outside, and you felt more than a few sharp points dig into your skin through the fabric of your shirt. Even so, you were loathe to let go, and you held as tightly as you could, while she sobbed into your shoulder.

“I am a child of the sea,” she murmured, after a time. “Nothing more.”

You remained silent, simply holding her close, unsure if you had crossed a boundary that you should have stayed well behind to begin with.

“Did you know that a young girl from Namai brought rice balls, especially for me? I had no idea how to respond,” she said, her arms limply hanging at her sides. “The poor thing must have thought that I saw myself above such gestures, but the truth is, I...”

“You don't have to explain yourself,” you said, tentatively sliding a hand on to the back of her head. “Even the children are aware of how stretched we all are. She would have understood.”

“I couldn't even leave a mere scratch on him,” she hissed, her body tensing in your grip, as her thoughts inevitably drifted back to that day. “Am I really so weak? Is this really all I amount to?”

“You are not weak,” you reassured her, stroking her hair in soft, slow motions that you repeated, over and over. “Back in Gyr Abania, I – I stood no chance, either. It was a matter of seconds. Less.”

Though your defeat at Zenos' hands at the Reach was common knowledge by now, how much it bothered you was definitely not. Even now, you felt yourself practically forcing the words from your lips.

“You stood your ground against something far beyond either of our comprehension,” you said, softly. “That alone makes you stronger than most.”

“I am no Sadu of the Dotharl,” Yugiri choked. “I am not Cirina of the Mol.”

“What do they have to do with anything?” you hummed, a little confused. For the first time, you felt her hands press gently into your back, and her head come to rest in the crook of your shoulder.

“Both have confronted your foes head on, with you,” she went on, “and both were victorious. What have I offered you, the only one to stand beside me no matter the circumstance?”

A thousand thoughts filled your mind all at once, but she continued before you could push any single one to the forefront.

“Am I truly of any use to you? A sound victory is of more consequence than any kind words, or...”

Her grip tightened on you.

“I wanted you to be able to rely on me, too,” she said, softly. “I wanted to be worthy of – of you.”

“You already are,” you said, pressing yourself into her, closer. “You are, and more.”

_Did she think that the Warrior of Light's standards for her companions were that impossibly high?_

“Even tomorrow, I cannot be by your side,” she said, resentment dripping from her words. “Lord Hien requests I be with him during the assault, and I – for the first time, I am torn...”

You breathed in, deeply, faintly aware of the light scent her hair carried.

“I understand,” you whispered back in return.

“You do?” Yugiri replied, sounding almost terrified.

“I understand that you need to be with your lord during the battle,” you said, pulling away from her, “and... after it, as well.”

Her eyes flew open, and she practically shrieked, pushing you back against the wall.

“No! You have the wrong of it, entirely!”

Her hands sought yours, gripping them tightly in hers.

“I had thought –”

“Hien is my lord, and nothing more! With you, I... I cannot...”

You hadn't the words, nor the breath to speak them with if you had.

“You drive me to become something more, something better than that child of the sea! You make me feel that I am so much more than a shinobi, or a retainer, or –!”

One of your shaky hands found its way back to her hair, smoothing it against her head, while the other came to rest on the small of her back.

“I'm sorry,” you mumbled, almost ashamed. “I was unaware.”

She seemed to relax into your embrace, just a little.

“That is why you needs be made aware,” she replied. “Had I died tomorrow, I could never have found peace, without–”

“You have me,” you whispered before she could finish, brushing your lips against one of her pale horns. “Without question, you have me.”

You felt her began to cry again, but there was no despair in it. No hopelessness. Exhaling with relief, she looked up at you, with shining eyes.

“Truly?”

This time, you had the words, but on consideration, found them lacking. Your lips began to kiss their way along that same horn, pausing between each one to let your breath fall upon it.

“Those are for more than decoration,” Yugiri said, her voice low. “They're – sensitive...”

“I am aware,” you replied, as you continued. “The Oronir have loose tongues, given enough to drink.”

She sighed, deeply, as your lips reached her temple, and then travelled down to her jaw.

“I do not want you to feel pressured,” she muttered under her breath. “I was troubled, and it appears that I have taken advantage of your kindness once more...”

“Do I seem the type to be swayed in such a way?” you counter, delicately. “I have admired you since the very beginning, but I had long thought you to be out of reach.”

“Never,” she whispered. “Never.”

You hesitated for a second, as you reached the corner of her mouth, but only to confirm it in her eyes.

The second passed so swiftly that you barely registered pressing your lips against hers. The two of you sank to your knees onto her futon, all other thoughts and pressing matters shelved, for those few precious moments.

Her lips were rougher than you had perhaps expected, or imagined – you weren't sure which – but it was far from a bad thing, you thought, as you took the bottom of the pair between your teeth, and tugged at it, greedily.

A gentle palm at your chest was enough to remind you of yourself, as you pulled away, reluctantly.

“It is late,” she said, simply, and gently. The genuine smile you now saw on her face was a welcome contrast to her still-red eyes. “We must rest, else we will not be in much of a state to give ourselves aught to look forward to.”

“To... look forward to?”

“Yes,” she said, “once we take Doma.”

“I will neither fail Doma, nor you,” you said, your lips still only a hair's breadth away from hers.

“Or I you,” Yugiri replied, her voice resonating with a determination you hadn't felt from her for what felt like days.

“I should really be getting back to my own chambers,” you thought aloud, reaching across her for your boots, but the same soft palm pressing against your torso told you otherwise.

“Stay,” Yugiri insisted, half-pleading, half-commanding.

“They will talk, you know,” you protested, weakly, though for what reason, you remained unsure.

“Then they shall have to talk,” she concluded, pushing you down onto her futon. “Their minds should be occupied with more pressing matters than my choice of bedmate.”

You drew her close, sighing with faux resignation.

“You're so small,” you whispered to her, eyelids straining to stay open even a second longer.

She simply shifted in your grasp, and pressed herself tightly against you, entwining her fingers with yours, as you drifted off.

 

She stayed awake a little while longer, savouring your soft breaths against her neck, and the protective way you had curled around her body, before following suit.

 

**

 

The Kojin seemed eager to depart as the four of you stood at the docks, the warm morning breeze lifting the last remnants of weariness from your eyes.

“It has, and ever will be an honour,” Yugiri whispered to you, squeezing your gloved hand surreptitiously, as you began to follow Hien and Gosetsu onto the boat. “Come back to me. You must promise.”

“I promise,” you said. “With all that I am.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did all of this in a day...  
> Well, I hope you like it! I'll probably write more with her, soon.
> 
> Leave a comment if you've any criticism, or if you enjoyed it!

Really, you couldn't be sure this had been the greatest course of action to take. Alisaie's parting words had left you with a nasty, uncomfortable feeling, akin to a stinging insect crawling around in your mind.

 _'The realm cannot and will not simply wait for you and yours to iron out your personal problems,'_ she had said, when you had told her you'd be leaving the Reach for a time. Alphinaud had pushed her to one side, despite her protests, but it wasn't as if you could _un_ -hear it.

What were you supposed to have done, then?

Water sprayed up into your face from the sides of the ferry as you gazed over the side, the salty tang catching on your lips. It wouldn't be far to the Enclave now, you surmised. You couldn't remember. It already felt like an eternity had passed since you had last taken this route.

“Thinkin' hard, lass?”

The ferryman's abrupt interruption of your thoughts nearly startled you overboard, but it seemed fate did not intend for you to humiliate yourself just yet.

“Was it disturbing you?” you asked, a little more dryly than you had intended.

“You look troubled, 's'all,” he replied, seemingly unperturbed, his hardened features giving nothing away. “Trouble at the Enclave?”

“Something like that,” came your hushed reply, almost drowned out by the sound of the waves lapping at the side of the small boat.

Really, it was trouble no matter how, or where you sliced it. Though you were sure that a little more preparation time wouldn't go amiss at the Reach for the impending battle ahead, you knew you didn't have forever. A few days, at most.

It'd be enough, you hoped.

You hadn't seen even seen her since your hurried parting at Lyse's behest; after urging you on swiftly back to Kugane, there had been time only for a rushed hug and a short goodbye at the docks, before you were practically shoved onto your ride back to Gyr Abania.

Ala Mhigo was important, of course – the liberation of Doma in itself would not be enough to dampen the imperial threat. Even still, you couldn't hope to have your mind in the battle, if you couldn't see where you stood with –

“We're here, lass,” the ferryman announced, with no small fanfare. “Lookin' a fair bit better than the last time you seen it, I'd wager.”

He was right – as your eyes scoured the landing, your first thought was that there was neither rubble nor stray lumber littering the ground. You could make out some rudimentary wooden scaffolding beyond the low walls, and the beginnings of new buildings, as well as the patched up roofing of the older ones. There was even the dull roar of a crowd in the distance, which was a decidedly foreign sound to your ears – on this side of the world, at least.

Palming your gil into the ferryman's hands, you gathered what little belongings you had brought with you in a small satchel, and took your first unsteady steps onto the jetty. You felt decidedly out of place, still, without your merry band, and without any real purpose.

As you rounded the corner into the main square, you almost expected the residents to turn to stare daggers into you, but of course, they didn't care. They were busy – whether labouring, planning, or simply discussing what was to be done, your appearance didn't concern them in the least. It was truthfully a welcome relief to not be recognised on first glance by the majority – though you supposed your bland choice of eastern garments had done much to dull your presence.

A few small stalls had opened up; some were selling fish, while others offered reasonably priced silks and cotton from Kugane, and, you noted, wools from Eorzea too.

You sighed, softly. You hadn't come here for sightseeing, after all, but you truly didn't know where to begin looking for her. From what you had been able to gather in Namai, Yugiri spent most of her time at the Enclave, no doubt assisting with the rebuilding efforts in whatever way she could.

It made sense. Even the refugees had been hard at work since the imperial raid, working to restore the Reach to some semblance of respectability. Everyone had their pride in their nation.

And yet, you couldn't bring yourself to think of your own. There wasn't any one place that felt like home to you any more to begin with anyway, when you took the time to think about it. You had an apartment in Shirogane, but it felt like more of a convenience than anything else – a base to recuperate and plan your next move, and nothing more. It probably wouldn't have mattered to you if it had been located in Shirogane, the Goblet, or if it were a tent in the middle of the Fractal Continuum – everywhere was all the same from your point of view, now.

Your absent mind had led you on a path through the open gates on the other side of the island, to the edge of the land there. If you squinted, you could see the ruins of Doma Castle in the distance through the thin layer of mist.

As the water licked gently at the hard line of sand and grass, you took a seat on the ground, another shaky exhale leaving your lips at the uncomfortable sight.

“I should hope that not _all_ of my habits are rubbing off on you,” a deep, yet somehow still boyish voice said from behind you. “Though I suppose castle-gazing is hardly the worst of them.”

You stood up and turned with a start, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to.

“My dear friend,” Hien said, beaming, before drawing you into a tight, one-armed hold. “What brings you here? We have had no word!”

“Ah,” you began, wriggling your way out of his iron grip. “That's – well, there is...”

Hien raised an eyebrow, looking both confused at your answer, and amused at your expression.

“I thought you were for Gyr Abania – has it not been merely weeks since we parted?”

“Has it?” You had barely slept, so you really couldn't have told him either way.

“Indeed so,” Hien replied, looking more concerned than anything else now. “You look exhausted, my friend.”

“I... yes,” was what you settled on, realising there was no reason to keep it from him. “Truly, I am.”

“Then we had best find you a suitable place to lay your head, hadn't we?” Hien said, with a gentle smile. “Though, I would still find it useful to know the reason for your visit.”

He caught your eye, and you looked away for a moment, before finding your verbal footing.

“I came to see Yugiri,” you half-mumbled, before adding quickly, “though I do not mean to imply that catching up with you is some sort of a hassle.”

Hien's eyes grew a little wider, before he nodded, firmly.

“Good,” he said, softly. “She is away, scouting the Castrum for any remaining patrols, though I expect she shall be back by nightfall.”

“I... am in no real rush,” you replied. It wasn't really a lie, after all. Days were still days.

“Would you care to see what we have accomplished so far, then? It was in no small part thanks to you that we are able to even have this conversation,” Hien said, the same reassuring smile creeping back across his features. “Come, let me show you to the Kienkan – it took some clearing out, but there is finally a place to hold our meetings.”

“Alphinaud will be pleased,” you remarked, turning his smile into a smirk.

 

**

 

“You jest, surely!” Hien laughed, raucously, almost spilling his sake. “ _Cirina_ said that?”

“Magnai was most displeased,” you went on. “Threatened to have the lot of us thrown from the Dawn Throne, you know.”

“Oh, that girl is something,” he said, calming down enough to take another bite of sashimi. “I do hope she finds the time to visit again.”

“I feel she thinks you are _something_ too,” you pointed out. “Or were you unaware?”

“I am most definitely aware,” Hien said, a fresh round of laughter echoing in the mostly unfurnished room. “But tell me – do you truly see her gods directing her to seek solace in the arms of someone like myself?”

“I would think her gods fools if they failed to deliver her to you,” you replied, the telltale blush of alcohol on your cheeks.

“Such flattery!” Hien snorted. “You have Doma's favour already, Warrior of Light – there is no need to 'butter me up' any further, as I believe the expression goes.”

“I am _serious_ , Hien,” you insisted, unsure of just when you came to be on first-name terms with him. “You may have Doma, but you cannot hope to rule it by yourself.”

“Full glad I am that you have taken such an interest in my personal life,” said Hien, with a teasing look. “Should the opportunity arise, I shall grasp it with both hands – you have my word.”

“I shall hold you to it,” you nod, aggressively, finishing your cup of sake and reaching for a refill. “Do not think otherwise!”

“Oh, and what of you, dear friend? Have you seized _your_ chance? I assume you know of whom I speak,” he said with a grin.

You almost sprayed your sake across the table at him in shock, but luckily managed to keep your dignity intact.

“My apologies,” Hien chuckled, “I do not mean to pry.”

“I wonder,” you said, in a tone that seemed to dampen the pleasant atmosphere, “if I am enough.”

Hien simply tilted his head to one side lightly, imploring you to go on.

“If I may tell you this in confidence, I –”

That line of thought was interrupted, as a soft rap at the door carried throughout the hall.

“Excuse me for one moment, my friend,” Hien said, standing up. He walked a shaky line to the entrance, leaving you with your thoughts.

Alcohol had been a truly terrible idea. You gave the bottle a dirty look, for good measure.

You heard a low laugh from the doorway, and craned your neck to get a better look, but your vision was too far gone to be able to tell anything from this distance.

“It appears we have a visitor for our visitor,” Hien said, walking back towards you with his guest in tow. “Though I should think you two are well acquainted, by now.”

Yugiri stood beside him, looking a little out of breath, but ultimately none the worse for wear. On seeing you, she let out a small sigh.

“Honestly,” she whispered, casting a glance at the empty sake bottles littering the low table. “I'm not sure which of you is the bad influence, any more.”

“I did not expect you back until later,” Hien said, flourishing the end of his statement with a hiccup. “Scold me if you must, it was my idea.”

“It matters not,” Yugiri said, shaking her head. “Why are you here? Should you not be –”

“I believe I shall take my leave,” Hien interjected, locking eyes with you briefly, before turning to Yugiri, and bowing in a most faux-solemn fashion. “I swear it, I did not mean to lead her astray.”

You could almost swear yourself that you heard him fighting a rising giggle in the back of his throat as he spoke.

“We shall speak again ere you leave, my friend,” he managed, before turning on his heel, and heading for the door, “but please, do not doubt yourself – you are a fine warrior, and a finer woman still.”

With a heavy clunk of the door, he was gone, leaving you with an even redder face than before.

“I see that the sake is still too much for him,” Yugiri hummed.

“He and I both,” you mumbled. “It's... good to see you, though.”

“I share the sentiment, but now I really must ask of you – why are you here?”

The words practically tumbled out of your mouth.

“I couldn't settle at the Reach, and... I've barely slept, and I – I _had_ to, I simply _had_ to.”

Yugiri smiled softly, taking a seat next to you on a small, dusty cushion.

“You have another nation to save,” she said, in a voice so gentle that the hair on your neck bristled. “You can ill afford to waste your time checking up on us.”

You looked down at the floor. Had you made the wrong choice, after all? Did she think you a fool for abandoning the Reach, at a time like this?

“But I am glad you chose to.”

“We didn't get a chance to talk, after the battle,” you said, brushing your fingers against her gloved ones. “I could scarcely leave things as they were.”

“Even so, coming back so suddenly...”

“I could not stand it if you thought I had forgotten about you so easily,” you muttered. “I had to show you that I cared.”

“What did you tell the others?”

“That I had personal matters to attend,” you replied. “Not all of my business needs to be their business.”

“Still, I cannot imagine it sat well with them, given the timing,” Yugiri said, watching you sway gently to and fro.

“It didn't,” you said, Alisaie's words swimming to the forefront of your mind once more.

Yugiri met your eyes, searching them, as if trying to discern your thoughts from that alone.

“To think I should fall for someone so hopeless,” she said, finally, with a smile. “You travelled all this way, just to do so?”

“I would do it thrice over, if I had to,” you said, firmly, taking her hand between yours.

“You have had a little much to drink,” she reminded you, calmly. “You ought to watch your words, lest you say something you do not mean.”

“I am not so far gone to not know my own feelings!” you protested, a little annoyed. “Alcohol or no, I do love you, so pray do not doubt me!”

The words hung in the air, and your grip tightened on her fingers. You didn't feel anxious, as you might have thought you would, nor did you feel any embarrassment – only a sense of determination to get your feelings across.

“I had longed to hear that, truly, ever since that night,” she said, leaning into you, “though... I suppose I did not wish to raise my hopes too high. The feeling is mutual, as you may well have guessed...”

“I had not assumed,” you hummed, sliding closer to her, “but it does please me to hear it.”

“You look exhausted,” Yugiri whispered, letting her head rest on your shoulder. “It would do you well to get some rest.”

“That's the second time I have heard that today,” you said, with a sigh.

“Perhaps because there is truth in it,” Yugiri pointed out. “Come, there are futons in the spare chambers. I do take it you are staying more than the span of an afternoon?”

“A few days,” you murmured, bitterly. “Then I must away.”

“That you must,” Yugiri replied.

She led you down a dusty corridor to a line of rooms, partitioned off with paper – some ripped, some not – and took you inside the second door from the end of the row.

“You look tired too,” you pouted, unfurling your bedding. “Why aren't you resting?”

“I did not say otherwise,” Yugiri said, pulling out a second rolled mattress from a tall cabinet. “Or did you think that I planned to sandwich you between these two futons, and leave you be?”

Unfastening your kimono – with a little difficulty – you moved to slip under the covers, before something very obvious hit you very hard.

“Two?”

Yugiri looked from the futon, to you, then to the futon, then finally, back to you, before shaking her head, slowly.

“A force of habit,” she muttered, stuffing it roughly back into the cabinet.

You smiled, as she moved over to yours, but it soon fell from your face, as you realised that she planned to sleep with that wretched, spiked armor on once more.

“No,” was all you said, pushing her in the back, thwarting her efforts to climb in beside you.

“No? Was this not what you –”

“Not with that ensemble,” you frowned, gesturing at her. “It matters not how much effort it is to put it back on. Once was enough.”

“It is more that – well, we can never be sure that we will not be attacked during the night, and...”

“If the Garlean emperor himself attempts to lay waste to the island, know that I shall spare your dignity and take him on myself,” you said, frustrated. “I shall not tolerate another night holding on to a woman-shaped caltrop.”

Yugiri sighed, before reaching for the straps and clasps at her chest. After only a few seconds of watching, you could stand no more.

“No,” you said, with a dry mouth, putting a hand on hers.

“What now? Am I not doing it fast enough for your liking?”

“Let me,” you breathed.

You felt her hand tremble slightly, beneath yours; you released it, pressing a kiss to her gloved knuckle, before beginning to peel off the covering. You slipped it off further and further, revealing lines of lustrous, creamy-white scales, and light peach skin.

It was the first time you had ever seen her hands uncovered – so unfairly delicate, yet you wondered, in spite of the moment, just how many men they had put down.

You had hoped to show some semblance of restraint, but it seemed beyond you, as you kissed her palm, over and over; she held her hand in place for you, while you worked at the other glove, never once taking her eyes off of you.

You moved closer in front of her, almost in her lap, as your hands found their way to the fastenings at her collar, and began to work their way down her jerkin. You could feel her breath on the top of your head, ragged and unsteady, as more and more layers of her outfit came away, revealing far more scale than skin.

Her breath hitched when you caressed her neck, more exploratory than sensual, rubbing soft, slow lines into the foreign texture.

“I... am sorry if you find the feeling unpleasant,” Yugiri muttered, almost under her breath. “I was unsure if you had lain with an Au Ra before, but –”

“Don't you dare apologise,” you whispered against her neck, making her shiver. “Every ilm of you is beautiful.”

She made a truly wonderful sound, then – one of relief, and one of pleasure, as you raked your teeth along her exposed neck. It only served to spur you on further, slipping her arms out of the leather, and running your fingers along the toned muscles.

“I did not think you to be so forward,” she said then, barely audibly. “D-do not misunderstand! It isn't that I mind, but it feels – somewhat unlike you...”

A few seconds passed, before you stopped what you were doing, holding her gaze as the words came to mind.

“Forgive me,” you choked. “There is every chance that I face that monster in a matter of days, and – and, I...”

Yugiri pulled you close, then, pressing her bare skin against yours. She was warmer than you had thought; it was comforting.

“You will come back to me,” she breathed into your hair. “As you always have, as you always will.”

“You have such faith in me,” you mumbled back. “I can only hope that –”

She silenced you with her lips, then; tenderly, but full of assurance.

“I will be waiting for you,” she said, breaking away and slipping the loosened fabric of the kimono from your upper arms, “and you have yet to let me down.”

Her slender fingers trailed down your neck, ghosting across the skin; she traced lines all the way along your arms, until she found your hands once more, placing them at her hips.

“As you were,” she said, pointedly.

You drank in the sight of her naked torso, transfixed by the contrast of skin and scale; while your lips began a thorough investigation of her stomach, your hands worked at removing the rest of her battle armor. The boots she managed to lose on her own, but the bottoms you stripped away yourself, leaving her almost bare in front of you, save for her white underwear.

“Gods,” you said, in a strangled voice.

She smiled, but averted her eyes.

“Do not stare,” she said, in a voice that almost sounded too high, and too helpless to belong to her.

“I cannot help but,” you replied, taking in everything from head to toe. Though there were also innumerable scars, you both counted those as marks of loyalty, and nothing more, and so nothing was said.

Lowering your head, you kissed at the unblemished skin at her breast, sometimes substituting gentle licks for brief little nips and nibbles, making her squirm beneath you. As you ran your hands up and down her sides and around to her back, you drew your knee up between her thighs, eliciting a series of contented moans and guttural growls from the back of her throat as she began to grind against you.

Her own hands wrapped around your neck, sometimes finding their way into your hair, grabbing fistfuls, or scraping at your scalp. It was almost enough to push you over the edge, to make you lose yourself entirely, but the sounds she continued to make kept you rooted firmly in the moment.

You could feel the wetness slicking your leg, now, as she pushed against you, rhythmically – though it pained the both of you to remove it from her reach, it was a worthwhile sacrifice to slip the last remaining article of clothing from her body.

“I want you,” you managed to gasp out, your fingers tentatively circling her outer lips.

She could only nod, and let out a weak mewl, as your fore- and middle finger slipped inside of her, your thumb vexing the growing pink bud at the top of her entrance.

You nestled your head beside hers, whispering to her as you pushed deeper, and teased at her nipple with your free hand.

“You truly are wonderful,” you said, idly breathing against her horn, coaxing yet more soft, almost pleading sounds from her.

She was lifting her hips from the futon to better meet your hand; she would tense up every so often when your fingertips brushed against a particular spot inside of her, and bite her lip to mask the louder moans.

“Don't,” you murmured, scraping your teeth across the very tip of the horn, knowing full well how it would feel for her. “I _want_ to hear you.”

Nodding in embarrassed resignation, she simply let the almost-screams escape her lips; calling your name over and over, you felt her clench tightly around you, pulling you closer, closer still –

You held her tightly, as she came down from her high, breathing heavily, her eyes unfocused.

“Kami,” she whispered against your skin, treating you to a fresh round of shivers, “that was...”

“I know,” you hummed.

“Perhaps they can handle the liberation alone,” Yugiri mused. “Perhaps you could simply stay here, in this futon, forever.”

“I should not be so tempted by that offer as I am,” you replied, with a soft laugh. “It does not become me.”

“When this is over, perhaps you can take it more seriously,” she said, without a trace of jest. “At least, staying in Doma, for a time.”

“I would love nothing more,” you answered, honestly.

“Then it is settled,” she purred, satisfied.

 

She was the first to sleep, this time, a contented smile upon her face.

You remembered, then, Hien's words.

You would face what came when it came, and shed your tears then.

Now was not the time.

 

Yugiri was so small, in your arms.

 


End file.
